Y. Aaron Tucker

– As North Korea makes us think once again about the threat of nuclear war, it's a good moment to revisit how we got there in the first place: this novel depicts Robert Oppenheimer during the time he's working on, and completing, The Manhattan Project. – The subject does seem to be in vogue: the TV series <i>Manhattan</i> depicts that time, as well as the popular comic book series <i>The Manhattan Projects</i>. – This novel focuses less on the mechanics of bomb creation and more on Oppenheimer's personal life: his relationships, his intellectual life (including what he's reading), his thoughts on his work. – Los Alamos is beautifully depicted. The laboratory is open to the public for five hours twice a year, and we'll aim to capitalize on that.